Switch-lever lock.



PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904.

N. JAMISON.

SWITCH LEVER LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED 1130.14.1903.

N0 MODEL.

wnMssES:

I INVENTOR efeieznzaZ/ Jmzsozz' ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES Patented September 27, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

NEHEMIAH J AMISON OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO H. M. BENNETT, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

SWITCH-LEVER LOCK- SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 771,155, dated September 27, 1904. Application filed December 14, 1903. Serial No. 185,088. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NEHEMIAH J AMISON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Switch-Lever Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the improvement of railway-switch locks; and the objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of superior construction and arrangement of parts for looking a switch-throwing lever, to so construct the same as to permit of the switch-lever being thrown to its outer position without being locked when desired, and to produce certain improvements in details of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be more fully pointed out hereinafter.

These objects I accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is 'a side elevation of my improved switch-lever lock, showing a switch-lever locked therein. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line :20 w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an inner side view in elevation of the lock with the locking-tongue thrown to its locked position. Fig. 4 is a similar view in elevation showing the position of the switch-lever when the same is thrown outward, but not locked. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lock with the switch-lever removed, and Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on line y y of Fig. 5.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In carrying out my invention I employ an uprightlock casing or body comprising outer and inner vertically-arranged sections 1 and 2, which when united form an upright boxlike body having a vertical recess 3, which extends through the upper end of said casing to a point in the lower portion thereof. The casing thus formed is provided with a suitable supporting-base flange 4:. Within the lower portion of the casing and at one side of the center of the width of the latter is pivoted, as indicated at 6, the lower or base portion of a locking-tongue 7, the latter being of a substantially C shape, as shown. The upper and smaller end of the locking-tongue is provided 5 with a reduced extension 8, through which is formed an opening 9. The lower portion of the curved tongue 0 is provided with a straight termination or extension 10, which crosses the lower portion of the casing-recess 3 and which has bearing against its under side an upwardly-bowed spring-strip 11, one end of which is secured to the base 4:. This springstrip serves to normally throw the upper portion of the lock-tongue outward and down 6 ward and away from the recess 3. Within the upper portion of the casing and on one side of the recess 3 is provided a suitable and well-known form of locking mechanism, which may comprise a vertically-arranged sliding bolt 12, the latter being normally pressed upward by one arm of a spring 13, which bears against the under side of said bolt. The upper end portion of the bolt is reduced to form a tongue 13, and the upward movement of 7 said bolt is limited by the contact with the shoulder formed by said reduction of a projecting pin 14. The bolt 12 is further retained in its vertical position and in contact with an inwardly-projecting casing-lug 15 by means of a second guide-pin 16, which projects from the casing. The bolt is provided on its outer side with the usual key-engaging lug 17, which is arranged adjacent to a keyhole 18, formed through the casing-section 2. In order to illustrate my invention, 1 have shown a common form of switch-throwing lever or bar 19, the latter having the usual outer end weight 20. This bar at its inner end is connected with the usual switch or tar- 5 get throwing shaft 21. For the purpose hereinafter set forth I provide on the inner face of the section 2 a block 22, which at one of its lower corners is pivoted to said casing-section in such manner as to cause the upper por- 9 tion of'the block when the latter is swung to an upright position to be supported opposite the lower portion of the recess 3. As will be understood from the drawings, the switch-operating lever 16 when in its outer or closed position is within the recess 3 of the lock-casing. As the lever is dropped into said recess it contacts with the upper side of the portion 10 of the locking-tongue, resulting in depressing the lower portion of said tongue and in upper end of the normally elevated bolt 12,'

temporarily depressing the latter until its upper portion by pressure of the spring 13 is forced into the opening 9 of said tongue extension. In this manner it will be observed that the lever 19 is locked between the upper and lower portions of the locking-tongue 7 When it is desired to temporarily throw the switch-operating lever to a closed position and without locking the same, the block 22, whic'h'is normally thrown outward and lies lengthwise upon the base 1, is thrown upward to the position indicated in Fig; 1 of the drawings, in which position the upper end of the block supports the lever 19 and prevents the latter descending suificiently to operate the locking-tongue 7. It will be understood that by the insertionof a suitable key, such as that shown in cross-section at 23 in Fig. 6, and turning the same within the keyhole 181mtil'its contact with the lug 17 of the bolt 12 forces said bolt downward the tongue 7 will be unlocked. The raising of the lever 19 relieves the lower portion of the tongue from its weightand permits the spring 11 to act in throwing the locking-tongue outward to permit the upward movement of the operatinglever.

From the construction and operation which I have described it will be seen that a simple although efl'ective mechanism is provided for locking a railway-switch-operating lever and that in conjunction therewith means are provided for preventing said lever from becominglocked when it is desired to throw the lever to close the switch temporarily.

It will be understood that while I have described my improved locking mechanism as comprising aspring-actuated bolt other wellknown forms of locking mechanism may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention. I

Having now fullydescribed myinvention,

what I claim, and desire'to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a switch-lever lock, the combination with a casing having a vertical recess therein and keyhole, of a curved locking-tongue 7 pivoted in said casing and-having .its- -lower portion extending across said recess, yielding means for normally throwing said tongue outward and a spring-actuated locking-bolt adapted to engage the outer end of said lockingtongue when the latter is projected across said recess.

2. In a switch-lever lock, the combination with a casing having a vertical recess and a keyhole, of acurved locking-tongue 7 pivoted within said casing and at one side of said recess, a spring exerting pressure against the under side of the lower portion of said locking-tongue and a spring-actuated locking-bolt adapted to engage the outer end of said tongue 

